Shadow Dreamer
by Ellaya
Summary: Fox has been having odd dreams lately, and they're making him imaptient and worrying his team. Lylat's communications sattelites have also been malfunctioning. Could there be a connection? PLEASE R&R! Shock and amazement, chapter 13 is FINALLY up!
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. E-mail me if you wish to use them. 

**Note:** Sierra Caridaay was introduced in my first fic, _Never Had A Family_. Thus, this story takes place after that one chronologically. 

---- 

Blaster drawn, Fox walked down a long, dark hallway. His team had disappeared, and Fox had a feeling they were down this endless dark corridor. All Fox could see was a soft blue light ahead of him. He trusted that the walls her on either side of him. For all he knew, they were endless pools of blackness, stretching on into infinity. 

A sudden ringing laughter startled the vulpine, and he spun on his heels, finding his blaster pointed at a young fox kit, a girl no more than eight. He lowered his blaster. 

"Hello," Fox said, a feeling of ambivalence washing over him. "Are you lost?" 

"You will find the ones you're looking for," the kit said, ignoring Fox's question. "But..." 

"But?" Fox echoed. 

The kit winked and giggled again. She seemed to think this situation terribly funny. Fox sighed. He didn't have time for this. He turned away from the kit, but there she stood in front of him. 

"How did you...?" Fox stammered. 

"But..." the kit said again, skipping behind Fox. "It will catch you." 

"What's 'It'?" Fox asked. 

He got no answer, and turned again. The kit was gone. Fox was unnerved, but he pressed on, heading towards the light. It seemed to be glowing brighter, but it flickered like a candle. He increased his pace, suddenly worried the light would go out. 

_A candle shines brightest just before it flickers out._ Peppy's voice rang in Fox's mind. Fox hurried, but didn't run. Something told him he shouldn't run. 

The glow was almost blinding, but it flickered wildly. Turning a corner, he now saw the flickering blue candle. It immediately went out. 

Fox knew Falco was dead. 

Fox was running now, running towards an empty blackness, the kit's giggling echoing all around him. 

"It will catch you," the kit giggled, and Fox ran faster. 

Fox ran forever, running through the black abyss that was this hallway, his heart hammering against his chest. Finally, Fox came to a door. 

It was a plain black door, touch-activated, as some doors were, and for some reason, it glowed. Fox stood in front of the door, panting. 

Even when he focused both ears on the door and shut his eyes, he heard nothing. None of his senses told him anything was wrong. But everything was. 

Putting his laser away, Fox placed a paw on the door. It dilated, and Fox stepped in. 

Falco's limp body lay, bleeding, against a wall. The falcon's throat had been torn out. Fox's mouth hung open, and he wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Fox took a step back, and then became aware of another door opposite Falco's lifeless form. 

It dilated on contact, and Fox saw Falco and Slippy laying in a cage. Fox could see their stomachs rise and fall, and sighed in relief. They were either sleeping or unconscious. Looking around for Sierra, he found the frog shackled to a wall, blindfolded and gagged. 

"Sierra?" Fox said just above a whisper. 

Sierra jerked in response, and Fox rushed over, removing the blindfold and gag. 

"Fox, you shouldn't be here," Sierra whispered fearfully. 

"What are you talking about?" Fox asked, eyeing the shackles as he tried to figure out how to break them. 

"Get out of here!" she hissed. "Go, before It finds you!" 

"What's It?" Fox asked. 

Sierra whimpered, looking past Fox. Fox turned, his paw resting on his blaster. 

A black, amorphous liquid oozed toward Fox. He took a step back, firing a shot at the ooze, but It seemed unaffected. 

"Run!" Sierra yelled, and Fox bolted. 

The thing oozed over Sierra, and Fox had only to glance back to see that she had shared Falco's fate. Fox looked back ahead, and the kit stood in front of him once again. 

"You can't run from It," she giggled, a sinister tone in her voice all the same. 

The ooze flowed into the room, but Fox was rooted to the spot. As It flowed over his feet, Fox felt his body relax, even as his mind was screaming at him to run. It slipped up his body, and Fox felt his mind go numb. Something inside him was still screaming, but it was distant an unimportant. The thing engulfed Fox completely, and Fox felt life slipping from him. 

Fox woke up screaming. 

"Jeez, Fox, are you okay?" Falco growled, sounding worried anyway. 

"F-Falco," Fox stammered, out of breath and in his quarters on _Great Fox_. "I..." 

"What's wrong?" Peppy asked, appearing in the doorway beside Falco. "Nightmare?" 

"Y-yeah," Fox said. 

"The way you were screaming, we thought you were dying," Falco said. 

Fox said nothing. He had been dying, in his dream. It was only that, though. Just a dream. Everyone was fine. 

"Look, I'm fine," Fox said. "Sorry for waking you all up. Go back to sleep." 

Falco shot Fox a worried glance before he left, and Peppy had looked worried the entire time. They always worried about his nightmares, though. He had been having them ever since his father died, so they were nothing new. This one was completely different from the others, though. He had never dreamed something that had seemed so real. His teammates had died in dreams before, but never so vividly. Fox shivered and got out of bed. 

It was two in the morning in General Lylatian Space Time, so the rest of the Star Fox team was asleep. Or trying to get back to sleep, after Fox woke them all up. Dragging his exhausted body into the shower, he practically fell in, allowing the hot water to run through his fur. 

As a vulpine, Fox took the longest in the shower with all his fur, aside from Slippy, who loved water and usually used up the hot water tanks. Fox also had a tendency to lay in the shower for at least an hour, as he was planning on doing now. He knew his tail would take hours to dry, but he didn't care. Closing his eyes, he fell into a semi-conscious stare for awhile, thinking about nothing in particular. 

When Fox resurfaced, he assumed it had been awhile, because the water was cooling down a bit. Fox turned off the water and shook a bit instinctively, poking his head out from behind the shower curtain and finding his towel. 

After he was dried off, except for his tail, which was still wet, but not soaking, and dressed, Fox walked to the cockpit, where he spent most of his time lately. 

"Good morning, Fox," Rob said in his monotone voice. "You are up early." 

"Yeah," Fox said distantly, flopping down in his chair. "What time is it?" 

"Three-thirty am GLST," Rob said. 

Fox nodded. Time meant almost nothing to Fox, who spent so much time on _Great Fox_ that his body was now set on space time as opposed to a planet, like many other spacers. Falco was like that, too, but the rest of his team had to use alarm clocks and sleep deprivation tactics to get themselves on the GLST schedule. 

It had been a few months since Fox had saved Dinosaur Planet, and the rest of Lylat, from Andross. Again. He never gave up. Fox was confident he had destroyed the ape for the last time, though. the only problem with that was jobs were few and far between, usually involving chasing bank robbers or other such nonsense. But work was work. The holo-screen in the center of the cockpit popped up. Fox, startled, looked up. 

"General?" he asked, sitting up. 

"Star Fox, we..." the holo-screen crackled with static. "Something blocking... Radio messages. Need... Stop them..." 

The holo-screen shut off, and Fox sighed. It was something to do, at least. He pressed a button on his chair to open a link throughout all of _Great Fox_. 

"Get up guys and gal," Fox said. "We've got a job." 


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. E-mail me if you wish to use them. 

---- 

It was a fairly routine job. Fox, Falco, and Slippy were headed to Corneria's Inter-Lylatian Communications Satellite to see what was wrong. Normally, Falco would have stayed back at _Great Fox_, but he was bored. 

"It'll probably just be a systems glitch or something like that," Slippy said. 

"Your point?" Falco asked. 

"My point is that you'll just be in the way!" 

"I'm sorry, that's _your_ job, isn't it? 

"Stop it, guys," Fox said, sighing; he didn't feel like dealing with this. "We're almost there." 

Falco and Slippy fell silent, and the trio docked at the satellite. There was always a maintenance crew onboard, and Slippy was going to talk to them. Fox had to come because Slippy might need someone to go out and fix the satellite manually; Slippy needed to stay inside to make sure all the systems were working. Fox wasn't looking forward to that; he was planning on asking Falco to do that if needed. 

The team was met by a young, nervous-looking leopard. 

"H-hello," he stammered. "I'm Jason Hunter. I heard that y-you were coming to fix the satellite." 

Falco hid a smirk, and Fox rolled his eyes ever so slightly. Slippy started talking. 

"Do you know when the satellite started malfunctioning?" Slippy asked. 

"Around two am, space-time," Jason said. "B-but nothing seems to be wrong." 

Fox was startled, but didn't show it. That was the same time he woke up from his dream. It was probably just coincidence, though. 

"Can you take me to the control room?" Slippy asked. 

"Of course," Jason said. 

Slippy and Jason continued talking about the satellite, and Fox and Falco fell in step behind them. Slippy apparently locked the door behind him, for Falco slammed into the door as soon as it closed. 

"Shit," he growled, rubbing his beak. 

Fox sighed heavily and leaned against a wall. "It's not like we would've helped any." 

"My beak hurts," Falco grumbled. 

"Not to mention your pride," Fox muttered. 

"Well, since when did Fox McCloud act like me?" Falco asked, seeming amused. 

"Since today," Fox said flatly. 

Falco crossed his arms and leaned against the wall opposite Fox, looking his friend in the eye. Fox stared blankly back. 

"What's up with you?" Falco asked. 

"Everybody keeps asking me that," Fox sighed, looking away. "Nothing is up with me, Falco." 

Falco shook his head but said nothing more. Fox had no patience today, and when dealing with Falco, patience was what he needed most. The avian was just going to have to learn what happened when he pissed Fox off. Which might mean spending the night in the cargo bay. 

Slippy walked out of the control room holding two space suits. They were similar to scuba gear, only the helmets were bigger and the material of the suit was different. 

"You two are going to have to go out and check the satellite over for damages," Slippy said. 

"And since when could you order me around?" Fox asked. 

Slippy seemed startled, and one look at Fox told him that Fox was serious. 

"I wasn't ordering you," Slippy said. "But before we left you said you would do it, so..." 

"Whatever," Fox muttered, getting into the suit. 

Falco was already in his, and the two made their way out into space. Fox looked over the satellite half-heartedly. He hated going out into space with a space suit. Nothing seemed to be wrong with the satellite, either, so he was pretty much doing this for nothing. 

"Look, Slippy, there's nothing broken," Fox growled through the radio. 

"You haven't checked it all yet," Slippy said meekly. 

"If I don't find something, I'll break it myself," Fox mumbled to himself, continuing his search. 

"Fox is right, Squeaky," Falco said. 

"Don't call me that!" Slippy snarled. 

"It's true, isn't it?" Falco laughed. 

"No!" Slippy said angrily. 

"Stop it, both of you!" Fox said, growling low in his throat. 

The fighting stopped, and Fox and Falco finished the check. Nothing was wrong. Fox decided to head down to the base to tell Pepper about it and discuss a price for this little escapade. 

Falco and Slippy were silent during the short trip. Fox assumed they didn't want to get yelled at again. they had to know Fox just wasn't going to deal with them right now. 

"Slippy, come with me," Fox said as he got out of his Arwing. "Falco, don't go far from the hangar." 

Slippy followed Fox up to General Pepper's office. His secretary stopped him. 

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked. 

"No, but I'm going in anyway," Fox said. 

The secretary raised her eyebrows and pressed a button, speaking into a speaker. "General Pepper, it's Fox McCloud of Star Fox. Should I let him in?" 

"Yes, Ms. Elliot," General Pepper said. 

Fox and Slippy walked in. 

"Nothing's wrong with the satellite," Fox said as soon as he walked in. "We checked." 

"It stopped working three hours ago, though," Slippy said quietly. 

Pepper thought for a moment. The time seemed to trigger his memory. 

"There was a research project going on at that time," he said slowly. "They're taking a break now, but they're still in the lab. Maybe you should check there?" 

"Fine," Fox said. "Slippy, take Falco and go to that lab." 

"Where is it?" Slippy asked Pepper while nodding to Fox. 

"You know where the laboratories are, right?" Pepper asked, and Slippy nodded. "It's the third one on the right." 

Slippy nodded again and walked out. 

"You want to know how much you're going to get payed, I assume?" Pepper asked. "Fifteen thousand." 

"Surely the reconnection of Corneria to the rest of the Lylat System deserves at least double that," Fox said. 

Pepper sighed. "Twenty-three thousand." 

Fox did the math. that meant a little over forty-five hundred for each of them, split five ways, which he usually did. Not too much, but it would do. "Deal."   


Falco was looking around the lab. He had no idea what anything did, and it seemed they had a lot of monitors, all displaying a dark, gray field. 

"What are you researching here?" Slippy was talking to a scientist. 

"We're researching the possibility of other worlds," the scientist, a gorilla, said. "Other worlds as in parallel universes." 

"Any luck?" Slippy asked. 

"Yes, in fact," the gorilla said, turning to a monitor. "We seem to have made some contact with this world. It seems to have no population, but we aren't sure yet." 

"Doesn't seem like the nicest place," Falco muttered. 

"At about the same time we made contact with this world, the satellite began to malfunction," the gorilla continued, ignoring Falco. 

"I see," Slippy said. "I take it you don't know much about this world yet?" 

"No," the gorilla said. "We'll tell you if we learn something." 


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did. All Nintendo characters belong to Nintendo, and the others belong to me. 

---- 

Fox had just finished explaining the current situation to Sierra and Peppy, and they were now lost in thought. Sierra was pacing the length of the cockpit. 

"Two am," she murmured, looking to Fox. "Wasn't that the time you-" 

"That doesn't matter," Fox cut her off. 

Peppy shot Fox a look; Fox just scowled, noting his team's surprise at the change in the young leader's usually good-natured mood. Fox sighed. He wasn't allowed to have a bad day, but goodness knows he let the others get away with them. 

"Just concentrate on the malfunction," Fox said. 

"The linking of this dimension with the newly discovered one may be interfering with the satellite transmissions," Peppy said at length. 

"Wouldn't it affect other satellites, too?" Sierra asked. 

Peppy shrugged, and Sierra turned to Slippy for an answer. 

"Lylat is large," Slippy said. 

"Really?" Falco rolled his eyes. "Who knew?" 

Slippy glared. "It would take time for the effects of something happening on Corneria to spread. But yes, it should have a ripple effect." 

"Slip, find out everything you can about the world the scientists linked to," Fox said. 

"Okay," Slippy said, typing furiously on his computer. 

Fox leaned back in his chair. The money they would get from this was hardly enough to keep a team of five fed, let alone all the other expenses that went along with running a mercenary team. Fox didn't even want to think about the loan on _Great Fox_. They needed all the money they could get; currently coasting on the money from Dinosaur Planet, they were getting low on money again. 

"Fox, are you okay?" Peppy's voice broke into Fox's thoughts. 

"I'm fine," Fox spat through clenched teeth. "Just great." 

Peppy sighed. "What was your dream about, and why is it bothering you?" 

"My dream? Nothing at all happened," sarcasm soaked Fox's words. "Sierra and Falco were killed by living ooze, is all. Nothing to worry about. You and Slippy were knocked out, and the blob tried to kill me. Not to mention the freaky fox kit. Bothered by it? No, of course not." 

Slipping a CD into his computer, Fox put his headphones on. Not bothering to clip them to his ears, he knew they would slide down, but didn't care. His computer told him he had a message from Krystal. He forwarded it to his quarters to view later. Pushing his computer away but keeping the music on, Fox closed his eyes and lost himself in heavy metal.   


The ooze flowed into the room, but Fox was rooted to the spot. As It flowed over his feet, Fox felt his body relax, even as his mind was screaming at him to run. It slipped up his body, and Fox felt his mind go numb. Something inside him was still screaming, but it was distant an unimportant. The thing engulfed Fox completely, and Fox felt life slipping from him. He was suffocating. Fox's head began to throb, and he felt the unmistakable shuddering of his mind as it was read. 

Suddenly, the blob began to recede, and Fox gulped down air, his mind coming back to life, unsure of why he had not been killed and very glad to be alive. The thing oozed around his feet, and Fox's knees buckled. 

- You have quite the complex mind, Fox McCloud, - a voice in Fox's mind, seeming to come from the blob, said. 

"Who..." Fox said weakly. 

- Call me... - the blob paused. -Irae. Yes, Irae is fine. - 

Irae forced Fox to his feet, gently pushing Fox back into the room where he had seen Sierra. Where the frog had once been, a white light remained. Fox stared at it, and it hovered silently. 

- I knew you could see spirit remnants, - Irae commented. 

Fox hardly heard him. Numbly, Fox held out a paw. The spirit flitted around Fox for an instant before, touched by Irae, it disappeared. 

"Her spirit..." Fox said distantly. "Gone..." 

- I have absorbed it to prepare for Sierra's resurrection. All who die here are resurrected in this way. - Irae explained. 

"Then Falco..." Fox, exhausted, collapsed, falling on paws and knees. 

- He has already been resurrected, - Irae said. - You will see your avian friend later. - 

Fox was lifted to his feet once more, urged back down the endless hallway by Irae. Turning a corner he didn't know was there, the kit appeared, giggling at him. 

She walked up to Fox, her eyes dead. Claws embedded themselves in Fox's arm. Fox gasped as the kit solemnly pulled her claws down Fox's arm. Shocked, Fox watched the blood flow. Irae swallowed Fox again. 

- This will not hurt, - he said. - You will be fine. -   


"Fox!" Falco was shaking his leader, seeming genuinely worried. "Fox, wake up!" 

Fox blinked groggily. His headphones had slid down around his neck, the music still blaring. He turned it off. 

"What's wrong?" Fox asked, rubbing his eyes. 

"You were whimpering," Peppy said. "Shaking like crazy, too. Another dream?" 

"Yeah," Fox said, numb. 

Fox's head throbbed; he was getting a migraine. Standing up dizzily, he stumbled into his quarters. Turning off the light and locking the door, Fox collapsed on his bed, accepting the pain.   


"I don't know what's wrong with him," Peppy said, turning to Sierra. "Is he sick?" 

"Physically, no, I don't think so," she said. 

"Fox's current health status is normal," Rob said. 

Sierra slumped down in her newly installed chair, placed close to Slippy's but nearer to the window. Peppy was lost in thought, and Falco had an unusually blank look on his face. Slippy looked up from his computer. 

"Fortuna's satellite is malfunctioning," he said. "It's spreading. Katina shouldn't be too far behind." 

"Fox has another dream, and another satellite malfunctions," Falco said, coming out of his trance. 

"Coincidence," Slippy said dismissively. 

"Not necessarily," Peppy said, his ears twitching as he thought. "I wonder what this dream was about?" 

Sierra shrugged. Slippy threw his arms in the air. 

"Sierra, you don't think those dreams have anything to do with this, do you?" he asked. 

"If it's a coincidence, it's a strange one," Sierra said softly. 

"Either way, we shouldn't ignore the possibility..." Peppy trailed off. 

"You're not gonna get all weird, too, are you?" Slippy asked. 

"No," Peppy's ears drooped. "I'm just worried about Fox." 

There was a moment of silence. 

"We all are," Falco said.   


The young Star Fox leader was laying on his bed with the light off, the room given an eerie glow from two orbs of white and blue; Fox watched them, used to seeing such things. 

"Do you have a reason to be here?" Fox whispered, his migraine still throbbing at even the slightest noise. 

The white orb passed over Fox's head. Fox suddenly felt safe, and he relaxed. The blue orb joined the dance, and both began circling Fox. Fox closed his eyes contentedly, his migraine gone, and fell into a dreamless sleep. 

But Irae was watching. 


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. 

*~ 

Fox woke up exhausted. Although he had no actual nightmare, he felt Irae's presence, and the feeling was slow to fade. Sitting up, Fox stretched and, remembering Krystal's message, fumbled around for the holo-screen remote. Finally finding it on his night stand, he turned it on. 

"One new message" the computer told him. "Play?" 

"Yes," Fox said, leaning against the wall as a hologram of Krystal's head appeared and the message began to play. 

"Fox," Krystal said, seeming worried, "I need to talk to you. Please contact me." 

The message ended, and Fox immediately contacted Krystal. Hopefully a working satellite would transmit the message. Fox waited. She might not be onboard, either. 

"Connecting," the computer chirped; the message had gotten through. 

Krystal appeared, smiling, on the holo-screen, but her face soon clouded with worry. 

"What's wrong, Fox?" she asked. "You look tired." 

"Never mind me, what did you want to talk to me about?" Fox asked. 

"The satellites that have been malfunctioning," Krystal said. "It may have to do with the experiments going on at the Cornerian base." 

"That's what we..." Fox trailed off; Krystal shouldn't know about those. "Do you know something?" 

"I helped them make an inter-dimensional portal," Krystal said at length. "It needed magic to work." 

"Maybe the others should hear this," Fox said. "Inter-dimensional portals are illegal. If the Lylatian Police find out..." 

"I know, but the world they connected to... They said they may be able to contact the dead, and..." Krystal looked away. "Cerinia..." 

Fox sighed. They had used Krystal, playing on her emotions to get her to help them. He made a note to find out exactly who had done it. 

"Can I transfer this call to the cockpit holo-screen?" Fox asked gently. 

Krystal nodded, and Fox left his quarters, transferring the call as he walked. 

"Okay, guys," Fox said. "Everyone here?" Good. Well, it seems the scientists persuaded Krystal to help them make an inter-dimensional portal." 

Slippy stopped typing. Sierra and Peppy stared at Krystal's image on the holo-screen. Even Falco was without a snide remark. 

"Fox, just knowing about this and doing nothing makes us criminals," Peppy said solemnly. "And the penalty is exile." 

"I know," Fox said. "But let's just hear Krystal out." 

Krystal sighed heavily. "It's a unique portal in that you need to have your DNA inserted into the machine to go through, so nothing can... Escape. But ever since I finished, the satellite has been malfunctioning." 

"Does Pepper know about the portal?" Slippy asked. 

"Yes," Krystal said. "The whole project is his idea." 

"We're in way over our heads," Sierra said softly. 

"And since when do we ever play it safe?" Falco laughed. 

"So you're willing to help us get the satellites working?" Fox asked Krystal. 

"Yes," Krystal said, nodding. 

"We'll contact you in a bit," Fox said. 

"Okay, good bye," Krystal's face disappeared from the holo-screen. 

Fox collapsed in his chair. If they said nothing to authorities about the portal and were found out, they would be exiled, probably to Venom. Fox looked to his team. 

"If any of you want to back out of this, I won't say anything," he said. 

"You know I'm in, McCloud," Falco said with a grin. 

"You'll need my help," Slippy said. "You always do." 

Peppy saluted, and Sierra smiled. Fox's team was loyal, perhaps to a fault, and Fox was glad to have them there. 

"Okay, then," Fox said. "Now, should we contact Pepper and tell him we know about all this?" 

Peppy's ears began to twitch. "From a monetary standpoint, we could get more money out of this job if we tell him we know. It may also loosen the tongues of the scientists." 

Fox nodded slowly. "What about Krystal?" 

"They'll need her to maintain the magical energy," Slippy said. 

"Rob, set course for the Cornerian Military Headquarters," Fox said. 

"Yes, sir," Rob said. 

Fox stood up. "I'm gonna go talk to Krystal." 

As Fox walked down the hallway, he felt eyes on him. Looking around, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but his fur was still standing on end. He glanced behind him, and his eyes widened. Blood dripped from the ceiling and down the walls, pooling on the floor. 

It was the hunger that frightened Fox most. It filled him and ate at him like a disease. The blood awoke his instincts, and his instincts were hungry for blood. 

Fox was waist-deep in blood now. He panted as he fought to keep his instincts under control. The blood flooded the hallway completely, and Fox floated in the crimson liquid, still breathing despite being submerged. Breathing in the blood. He could taste it on his tongue, and he wanted more. Closing his eyes, Fox faded into blackness. 

*~ 

Slippy sighed. The Katinan satellite was malfunctioning. It was spreading faster than Slippy had expected. Slippy's stomach growled; he hadn't eaten anything all day. Standing up, he headed down the hallway. He saw Fox standing stiffly a few yards away. 

"Are you oka-" Slippy gasped as Fox collapsed. "Fox! Hey guys! Fox collapsed!" 

The rest of the team gathered, watching as Sierra did a quick check of his vital status. 

"He's fine," Sierra said. "He just fainted. What was he doing?" 

"He was just standing there," Slippy said. "The Katinan satellite just malfunctioned..." 

"I thought you didn't believe that?" Peppy asked. 

"Well, three times is a lot of coincidences," Slippy admitted. 

Falco carried Fox into his quarters. He woke up a moment after, a crazed look in his eye for a split second. A bloodthirsty look. Falco took a step back. Fox snapped back to normal an instant later. 

"What happened?" he asked. 

"You fainted," Falco said. "And then you looked at me like you wanted to kill me. Slowly." 

Fox seemed startled, looking Falco hard in the eye to see if he was joking. Finally, he sighed. 

"I don't know what's wrong with me," he said softly. 

"We'll find out," Sierra said, standing in the doorway. "But you should call Krystal. That's what you were planning on doing, isn't it?" 

Fox nodded, and Falco and Sierra left. Fox stared into space. Something was very wrong with him. He just didn't know what. Nobody did, it seemed. If they didn't figure out what was wrong with him soon, Fox didn't know what would happen to him. But he knew someone was going to die. 


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. 

*~ 

Fox stood, alone of the bridge except for Rob, who was always present and seemed to know when Fox needed time to think without being completely cut off from his team. 

Fox was to meet Krystal at the Cornerian base. Once the Katinan satellite had begun to malfunction, communication became almost impossible. Fox had been forced to hold up a piece of paper saying, "Go to Cornerian Base," and even then, the flickering holo-screen made Fox wonder if she had understood the message. 

"How far are we from Corneria, Rob?" Fox asked as he stared out the window at the planet in question. 

"Approximately 22,000 miles," Rob said. "Arrival time is fifteen minutes." 

Fox nodded slightly, his mind elsewhere as he Stared beyond Corneria at a distant star, almost gold in color, called Judex. Fox remembered first seeing that star with his father. 

"Daddy, what's that star?" a much younger Fox, no more than six, asked from his perch on his father's shoulders. "The gold one." 

James followed his son's gaze. "That's Judex. It's your guardian star." 

"What's a guardian star?" Fox asked. 

"It's the first star seen on the night you were born. It and its two planets, Eleison and Futurus, will always protect you." 

James' voice faded away, and Fox was back on the cockpit. He smiled softly. It was a Vulpin tradition to pick a guardian star for a kit. Fox wanted more than anything to believe in it, and part of him did. 

"Judex, guard me," Fox whispered. 

*~ 

"Entering Cornerian atmosphere in ten minutes," Rob said through the intercom. 

Sierra sighed as she searched the medical computer she had had Slippy install in the sick bay for Fox's odd behavior. Nearby, Slippy was watching, absently working on one of his many projects. 

"The impatience could be a result of sleep deprivation," Sierra said, shrugging. "But he's getting enough sleep, and dreaming is a crucial part of that." 

"So... He's fine?" Slippy asked. 

"Medically, yes," Sierra said, sighing. "There's not much I can do." 

"You're trying," Slippy said with a reassuring smile. "Fox bounces back. He always does. Don't worry too much." 

"Entering Cornerian atmosphere in five minutes," Rob said. "All team members to the cockpit." 

*~ 

Fox sat in his chair, the seatbelt sliding down over both of his shoulders and hooking into the bottom of the chair. His teammates joined him, preparing for atmosphere entrance. Fox got one last look at Judex before the protective metal shield slid over the window. 

Fox felt himself pressed against his chair, drawing his ears back against the force. He could see Rob, anchored securely to the deck, watching over the status of _Great Fox's_ atmosphere shielding. _Great Fox_ now through Cornerian atmosphere, was coming in for a landing at the base. The shield over the window opened up again. 

As they landed, Fox could see Krystal's ship. She had seen Fox's message. 

"_Great Fox_ has landed," Rob said. 

"Peppy, you can stay onboard if you want," Fox said. "Slippy, Sierra and Falco, you go to that lab once I talk to Krystal." 

His team nodded, and Fox, Sierra, Slippy, and Falco exited the ship. Krystal was waiting for them. 

"General Pepper seems to be expecting you," she told Fox softly. "He was telling me that you should show up soon." 

"Really?" Fox said, looking down as he walked. "Does he know that we know about the inter-dimensional portal?" 

"I don't think so," Krystal said. "I certainly didn't say anything." 

Fox made his way to General Pepper's office, Krystal tagging along. The rest of his team had gone to the lab. The secretary glanced up. 

"Mr. McCloud again, Sir," she said. "Krystal, too." 

"Let them in," Pepper said. 

As the two foxes entered, Pepper seemed calm. 

"Lollipop?" he offered idly. 

"No thanks," Krystal said. 

Fox shook his head and sat down on a plastic chair. "Let's cut to the chase," he said. "I know you had an inter-dimensional portal built." 

Pepper smiled softly. "Somehow I knew you would find out. Which is why I have a proposition for you." 

Fox leaned forward. "What kind?" 

"We need someone to test the portal," Pepper said. "Two someones, in fact." 

"Me and someone else," Fox said flatly. "Who else?" 

"You and one of my scientists," Pepper said. "Jason Hunter. I believe you met him on the satellite?" 

Fox nodded. "How much?" 

"Your satellite pay will be increased to fifty thousand," he said. "And we won't breathe a word of any of this to the Lylatian Police if you won't." 

"Fine," Fox said. "Should I go do this test now?" 

"Yes, if you have the time," Pepper said. 

Fox stood up, nodding. Krystal seemed worried, following Fox as he left, heading down to the laboratory. Krystal said nothing, but her nervousness soon spread to Fox. As he entered the lab, a gorilla in a lab coat looked up. 

"Are you to test the portal with Hunter?" he asked. 

"Yeah," Fox said, cracking his knuckles. "How dangerous is this little dimension I'm getting sent to?" 

"We have seen no sign of life whatsoever," the gorilla said. "But the atmosphere is survivable." 

Slippy seemed shocked. "Fox, you're just going to go into this world, with no idea what's inside?" 

Fox grinned. "Yep. How long do I have to stay in there?" 

"Just long enough to allow me to take some water samples," Jason said. "There's a river about a mile away from the portal drop-off." 

Fox nodded, making sure his blaster was by his side. He wasn't leaving without it this time. The gorilla gestured Krystal over to a control panel with a small indentation for her staff. She placed it inside and nodded. 

"Are you two ready?" the gorilla asked. 

"Yes," Jason said. 

"Sure," Fox said. 

The gorilla took fur samples of Fox and Jason and inserted it into a computer. Fox assumed it was the DNA matching. The computer beeped, and the screen turned green. 

"Good to go," the gorilla said. "Now, Krystal." 

Krystal turned her staff 90 degrees to the right, and the door frame in front of Fox began to hum. A picture of the dark field Fox could see on the screen showed up in the doorway, looking first like a hologram, but then solidifying. Jason gave Fox a small transmitter. 

"Use this to talk to the lab," he said. "They won't be able to see us at the riverbed." 

"How do you know it's there?" Fox asked. 

"We sent a non-sentient parrot in the portal. It was smart enough to tell us there was a river," Jason said. 

Fox wasn't completely sure about this, but he stepped into the portal anyway, Jason behind him. Looking back, he could see the lab in a small square patch. Krystal removed her staff, and the pathway disappeared. 

"To the river," Jason said, heading off to the north. 

Fox stood in the field for a moment, looking around him. The ground was a dull gray, and the sky was black except for a white light that Fox assumed was a sun. There seemed to be nothing all around him, just empty blackness. Fox didn't like it at all. 

"C'mon, Fox!" Jason called, and Fox hurried after him. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. 

*~ 

Fox followed silently, the whole area unnerving him. Something was watching them, but Fox couldn't see anything. He turned around. Nothing. Emptiness as far as he could see. Fox shivered. He could hear wind, but the air was stagnant. Fox turned back to Jason, who had stopped. Fox caught up to him. 

"What's up?" Fox asked as he came up beside the leopard. 

Jason shook his head. "Nothing. I just..." He sighed. "Nothing. I was just seeing things." 

Fox looked at him curiously, but Jason pressed on. Fox's hackles were up. He could sense it now. Someone was watching him. A predator, at that. He just knew. He rested his paw on his blaster. 

"Let's just hurry," Fox said softly. 

Jason nodded slightly, and both sped their pace. It was obvious Jason wanted to get out of here just as much as Fox did. They walked in silence to the river. Fox's eyes widened. The river was of quicksilver, or at looked that way to Fox. Jason seemed startled. 

"You wait here," he said. "I'm going to go down the river bank. The bank's too steep here. I don't want to fall in." 

Fox nodded, watching Jason disappear along the river bank. He stood silently, watching the quicksilver river rush along on its race to an ocean. Closing his eyes, Fox could just imagine an ocean of quicksilver, sparkling under the white sun. 

"You have quite the imagination," a familiar voice giggled. 

Fox turned. The kit. He must be dreaming again. 

"You're not dreaming," she said. "Not this time." 

Fox looked around for Jason. No sign of him. "What do you want?" 

The kit advanced, and Fox took a step back, his paw slipping on the edge of the river bank. He was trapped, and quicksilver was poisonous. He pulled his blaster out of its holster. 

"What?" Fox asked again, his ears drawn flat against his head. 

"Look at your arm," the kit said. "The left one." 

Numbly, Fox obliged. Where the kit has scratched him in his dream, Fox saw blood, and it was flowing. He cried out. 

"What I want..." the kit said. "Is what Irae wants. And what Irae wants... Is you." 

The kit pushed Fox, and he fell into the river, his blaster slipping out of his paw and landing on the ground. As he fought to stay above the surface, he could see the kit, watching him and laughing. Finally, he slipped under. 

*~ 

It seemed only the surface of the river was opaque, for Fox could see all around him, but he couldn't move, his body cold and numb, the blood from his wound creating a trail of crimson as he floated downstream. Looking ahead, he could see a large black shape, and he was afraid. 

The thing swam toward him, and he soon knew what he was looking at. Irae. Irae was real. Fox felt his limbs come back to life, and he kicked wildly, trying to escape. The liquid was as thick as molasses, though, and Fox progressed slowly, where Irae slid through like a fish, soon catching up and swallowing him. 

Fox was running short of breath; he had been holding his breath for at least a minute, and his lungs were burning. Irae covered Fox completely, and Fox, no longer able to hold his breath, gasped for air. 

Irae flowed into his mouth instead, and Fox kicked wildly, trying to escape, but was unable to move in any particular direction. He could feel Irae slipping down his throat. Fox stopped kicking, exhausted, but he couldn't stop shaking. 

- You will be fine, - Irae said. - Did I not tell you that before? - 

Fox relaxed as he felt Irae nudging his mind, making it work for him. Irae kept Fox alive as he floated in the liquid, and the dependence soon weakened his mind to the creature that was now inside of him, and he felt himself fading into blackness as Irae took him over. 

*~ 

Fox was floating, naked, in inky blackness, blood still flowing from him. He was dying, fading away from the body that now belonged to Irae. Fox stopped shivering, feeling more relaxed as he gave in to death. 

A small pinprick of gold light appeared. Judex. Fox reached out to it, taking the star in his paw and pulling it to him. He watched it twinkle, and the white and blue orbs from earlier that day reappeared. Confused, Fox released the light and looked to the orbs. 

"Do not give up your body," a strong voice said. "It is your body. Reclaim it." 

"I'm too tired..." Fox said in a small, faraway voice. 

"Rest for now," the voice, which Fox now saw was coming from the light, said. "But the longer you rest, the more danger your friends are in." 

*~ 

Jason heard a splash, and came running back, holding a sample of the liquid in his paw. He saw Fox sitting on the bank, staring at the river. 

"Fox, are you okay? I heard a splash and..." Jason trailed off as Fox looked up, a strange look in his eyes. "Fox?" 

Fox shook his head and began walking back in the direction of the portal. Confused, Jason followed. He didn't appear to be wet, so he couldn't have fallen in, but there was something wrong with him. Or maybe Jason was just too nervous, being in this strange world with such a famous mercenary. Fox's team would know if something was wrong with him, anyway. 

As they left, Jason gave the sample to the gorilla, who nodded to both Jason and Fox. 

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. McCloud," the gorilla said. 

Fox nodded back and walked stiffly out of the laboratory. Slippy seemed confused. 

"What's up with Fox?" Slippy asked. "Or is it just me?" 

"Something's wrong..." Falco said. 

"I..." Jason started, and all eyes were on him. "I went down the river to get a sample. The bank upstream was too steep, and I didn't want to fall in... Anyway, I left Fox there, and once I had gotten a sample, I heard a splash. I... I think something happened." 

Falco looked troubled, and took off out the door. "Hey Fox, wait up!" 

Sierra and Slippy hurried after him. Slippy paused. 

"I'll probably be coming back," Slippy said to the gorilla. "So be expecting me!" 

*~ 

Falco just couldn't keep up with Fox without running. Fox seemed to have new, limitless energy, for he kept up the grueling pace the whole way to General Pepper's office. 

"I finished," he said flatly, an odd, almost liquid tone to his voice that Falco had never heard before. 

"I'll send you the money," Pepper said. "If you finish your other mission, that is." 

"Fine," Fox said, walking out. 

"Fox, slow down!" Falco grumbled, finally stopping, exhausted. Slippy and Sierra joined the avian. 

"What's wrong with Fox?" Slippy asked. 

"I dunno," Falco said. "He wouldn't slow down. I guess they're gonna do tests on that water?" 

"Yes," Krystal said, walking up beside the others. "I... I think he fell in." 

Sierra was silent, thinking. Finally, Falco began walking again. 

"We don't want Fox to leave us behind," he said. "And, mood he's in, he just might." 

"I don't think mood has anything to do with it..." Sierra said softly, falling in step behind Falco. "In fact, I think this might be a good mood." 

"So..." Falco stopped. "What's a bad mood, then?" 

Sierra shook her head, staring at the ground. "I don't think we want to find out." 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. 

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I'm sorry about the long wait between chapters, but I just started High School(save meeeeeT_T), so I'm really busy. And, while I'm talking, thanks SOOO much to all the reviewers! I'm glad you all like my story! ^_^ 

*~ 

Fox had said nothing since he had returned to _Great Fox_, only punching some coordinates into the ship's computer and disappearing into his room for what was now an hour. The rest of the team, along with Krystal, had been left to their own devices, and they had spent the better part of the last fifteen minutes sitting silently in the cockpit. The tension was thick. 

Krystal watched the others uneasily, leaning against the wall for lack of a chair. Fox's chair had been offered to her by Peppy, but she didn't feel comfortable sitting there without Fox's permission. Sierra had asked Rob for a scan of Fox's brain waves, and she was now studying that. The others were doing their own thing, but it was obvious they were waiting for Sierra to explain what was wrong with Fox. 

Krystal left the cockpit, heading to Fox's room. Gingerly, she placed a paw on the door, but it didn't open. Krystal focused both ears toward Fox's room and heard his voice, but it was too muffled to hear what he was saying. His voice was rhythmic, though, so Krystal presumed he was chanting. She had a bad feeling about this. 

Taking her staff in her paws, she pressed its tip against the center of the door and pushed lightly, focusing her energy into the staff. The door dilated just enough for her to see into the room. 

Fox had pushed all his furniture against the wall, and was now sitting in the center of the room, chanting in a language Krystal had never heard before. Soft white lights hovered around him, circling him slowly. Krystal's eyes widened. Ghosts. She took a step back, her staff clattering to the floor. Fox's ears twitched, and he turned to the door just as it closed. Krystal grabbed her staff and ran for the cockpit. 

*~ 

Fox stirred in his sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw Judex standing in front of him, now looking like a fox with golden fur. Fox rubbed his eyes. 

"What's going on?" Fox asked, looking around. 

"Danger," Judex said. "The vixen has seen to much for Irae's purposes." 

"The vixen...?" Fox strained his memory. "Krystal!" 

"Yes, that is her name," Judex said. "But... There is nothing you can do at the moment." 

"What do you mean?" Fox asked, looking around helplessly for some way of getting at Irae. 

"While you slept, Irae closed you in. Myself as well. He is very powerful," Judex said gravely. 

"But... Krystal!" Fox cried. 

"There is one way we can help her," Judex said. "And that is only if she is killed." 

Fox buried his head in his hands. How could he help her if she was dead? He shivered. 

"When she dies, her spirit will travel through this room," Judex said, "because she has a strong connection to you. You must not let her enter the white light, or she will be forever gone." 

Fox nodded, shuddering. He wouldn't let Krystal get to the light if she ended up here, but he mostly hoped she wouldn't end up here at all. 

*~ 

Krystal felt a strong paw grab her shoulder and spin her around. Fox wasn't happy. She held her staff defensively in front of her. 

"Fox, what are you doing?" Krystal asked, backing away. 

Fox said nothing, taking one step towards Krystal. She raised her staff. 

"Don't make me hurt you," Krystal said, fear in her heart. 

Fox took another step forward, and Krystal swung her staff at his head. Fox grabbed the staff and twisted it out of Krystal's grip, throwing it across the room. Krystal gasped, and Fox pinned her against the wall with a crimson sword. He pressed it lightly against her throat. 

"Fox, what's wrong with you?" Krystal whimpered. 

Fox laughed, but his voice was deep and liquid and deadly in a way that was not Fox's voice. He grinned. 

"Fox is dead," he said. "And so are you." 

The sword was thrust into Krystal's neck and quickly withdrawn. Krystal, eyes wide, slid to her knees, her head against her chest, watching the blood dye her blue fur purple. Everything faded away. 

*~ 

Fox could see a small white light appear, and then he saw a flash of blue. He looked to Judex for an explanation. 

"Krystal," he whispered. 

Fox flew forward, intent on catching Krystal. The white light was closer to Krystal then to Fox, so he would have to be quick. He focused all of his energy on the task at hand, paws stretched toward Krystal despite her distance. 

*~ 

Krystal was floating towards a white light in a half-awake stupor. Something told her she should wait, but she couldn't. The light got brighter as she got closer, and she looked away to avoid being blinded. She could see something else in the distance, but she didn't know what it was. No matter. She continued to drift towards the light. 

She could remember her death, so she assumed this was what happened to those who had died. Maybe she would see Fox, if whoever had taken control of his body had really killed him. The light seemed very close now. 

*~ 

Fox was racing frantically now, for Krystal was very close to the light and Fox still seemed very far away. he seemed to be traveling very fast, but it wasn't fast enough. The light was almost upon her. 

"Krystal!" he yelled. 

*~ 

Krystal froze, turning in the direction of the voice. It was Fox. She struggled to fight the pull of the light, trying to go to him, but she was moving far too slowly, and she knew there would be a rubber band effect after awhile. 

"Hurry," she whispered, unable to yell. 

Fox was coming to her fast, but she could feel the pull of the light growing stronger. She had to believe Fox would make it to her in time. 

*~ 

Fox was almost upon her. Only a few more feet and he would have her in his arms. Suddenly, she began rushing to the light again. It was pulling her in. With new energy, he raced toward her faster than he had ever gone. He had to save her. The light began to engulf her. At this rate, he would enter the light as well. He didn't care. As long as he could save Krystal. 

He took her paw, pulling her close. The light was around both of them, and he clutched the vixen desperately. He wouldn't lose her, no matter what. 

Slowly, the light around the pair faded, and they were floating in blackness, staring at each other. Krystal smiled. 

"Fox, I was so worried about you," she said. "I knew that couldn't be you!" 

"Krystal, it's yourself you should worry about," he said. "I mean... You're dead. I think I might be dead." 

"You are both dead, yes," Judex said softly. "But you can both be resurrected." 

Fox looked to Judex. "How?" 

"I am working on opening a gateway to your mind, Fox," Judex said. "If you can reclaim your body, you can resurrect Krystal as well. But it will take time." 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine. 

*~ 

Irae, using Fox's body, carried Krystal's lifeless form into Fox's quarters and tossed it roughly aside. He then cleaned the blood from the hallway and returned to the body. The others onboard would suspect something if Krystal just disappeared. She would have to tell them she was leaving. 

Irae placed Krystal carefully in the center of the room. Taking his sword, brought from the Deadlands, he dipped it into Krystal's blood and drew a crimson circle around her. Positioning her arms so they stretched out on either side, he drew lined from her paws to the circle. Dipping the sword back into the wound, he drew lines from her head and tail to the circle. She was now connected in four ways to the blood circle. Standing above Krystal's body, he rested the sword on her chest and began reciting a spell in ancient Bloodspeech. 

"I am Irae, Deadkeeper," he said, running the sword down Krystal's chest. "This vixen's blood was spilt by the keeper of Death, and her body is thus righted mine in accordance with the Old Laws. Summon simulated life into this body whose life is spent. So I declare it, so it is done. 

Four black orbs circled around Krystal, following the blood circle until each reached a different line to Krystal's body. They then sank into the blood and traveled through it toward Krystal's body. Where the blood touched Krystal, the orbs entered her body, giving Krystal an eerie black aura as they entered. Slowly, Irae backed away, allowing the body to rise up. The eyes that opened were midnight black, and the voice that spoke honey sweet and unlike Krystal's. 

"Why have you summoned me, Irae Deadkeeper?" the feminine voice asked, annoyed in tone. 

"I require your assistance once more, Metramorpha of many forms," Irae replied, remaining polite despite the knowledge of a forthcoming argument in the near future. 

"I have driven him to you already, Deadkeeper," Metramorpha replied, giving her tongue more formality than was required. 

"You are needed to fool those who dwell on this ship," Irae said. "You knew this." 

Krystal's eyes returned to normal, the wound gone and the fur clean. The voice that spoke belonged to Krystal. 

"As you wish, Irae King," Metramorpha said submissively, walking out. 

Leaving Metramorpha to her work, Irae set Krystal's ship adrift in space and returned to Fox's quarters. 

Lost in thought, Irae could see Fox's spirit, still alive. Judex had saved him, but that was to be expected. Judex would never let his beloved Fox die if he could do anything about it. A lighter blue spirit drifted with Fox. The vixen had been saved as well, it seemed. This would probably draw Mireya, the vixen's guardian star. Irae knew Mireya had a strong connection to the vixen the moment he saw her blue fur. Only those with Mireya's mark were allowed such a color. This would post a problem. Judex was dangerous enough, but to deal with Mireya as well complicated things immensely. He would need more than Metramorpha's help. Standing up, he cleaned the blood from the floor. 

"The job is done," Metramorpha said in her own voice, which dropped to a hiss. "The spirit who once dwelled here was Mireya's child! You have already angered Judex, do you wish to bring them all down upon us?" 

"She knew too much, daughter," Irae said calmly. "But I shall need help, I admit, from you and your siblings." 

"But Father!" her voice had lost all formality. "This is far more trouble then it's worth!" 

"Metramorpha, oldest child," Irae cooed, "you must trust your father. I would do nothing that would put any of you in danger." 

"Your persuasive powers hold no sway over me, _Irae King_," Metramorpha spat the last two words. "However, as your daughter, I will comply with your wishes." 

Irae nodded stiffly, then drew his sword once more and placed its tip on the center most point of the room. 

"Children mine, I call you," Irae thrust his sword through the metal floor. "Metramorpha of many forms, oldest child," and Krystal began glowing a black aura once more. "Lucah Deathspeeker, rose-eyed one," as Irae spoke, a red orb appeared. "Argos, youngest, son and heir," a gray orb appeared close to Irae. "Children mine, show yourselves in full!" 

Irae sheathed his sword. Metramorpha slipped from Krystal's body and first returned to her true form, a shapeless, black form reminiscent of Irae's, continually breaking apart and reforming. Lucah appeared in the form of a rose-feathered dove, her eyes crimson as freshly spilled blood. Argos had a form similar to that of a vulpine, but the skin was liquid blue mercury. 

"What do you require of us, Irae, King and Father?" they asked, Metramorpha's words sounding forced. 

"We oppose Judex and Mireya," Irae said. 

- Father, - Lucah sounded troubled. - How can we attempt such a thing? - 

"Lucah, dear one," Irae said softly. "This world had become linked to our own, and thus falls under my rule in accordance with the Old Laws." 

Lucah nodded.- I understand, Father. - 

- I do not, - Metramorpha said angrily. - This world that connected to our own exists in accordance with the New Laws. We can break neither Old nor New Laws! - 

"We have never accepted the New Laws, daughter," Irae said. "And none have come for us. They cannot, or we shall not accept their dead, and their worlds will fill with spirit remnants. We are necessary, daughter, and that places us above the New Laws." 

Metramorpha fell silent, but the tension hung thick in the air. Argos stepped forward. 

"What must we do, Father?" he asked. 

*~ 

"Fox's brain waves changed," Sierra said, looking up from her computer at the others. "They're very different from before. It's like someone else took over his body." 

Slippy sighed. "Can we be at all logical in this escapade?" 

"We have to consider every possibility," Peppy said softly. 

"Look, I'm just as worried about Fox as the rest of you, but following illogical leads will her us nowhere," Slippy said. 

"Before the Dinosaur Planet mission, you said magic was illogical," Peppy said. 

"That's different!" Slippy protested. 

"How?" Peppy asked. 

Slippy fell back in his chair. "Fine. But assuming Fox is possessed, how would we prove it?" 

"Observation," Peppy said. 

"So we spy on out own leader?" Slippy buried his head in his hands. 

"I suppose you could put it that way," Peppy said. 

"But if he's possessed, he's not really our leader," Falco pointed out. 

"If, if, if," Slippy moaned, rolling his eyes. "Whatever." 

"Slippy, what's wrong with you?" Sierra demanded. "You refuse to accept that anything supernatural is going on, even after Fox practically predicts satellite malfunctions, Krystal magically powers an inter dimensional portal, and Fox's personality does a 360? If our ideas our illogical, feel free to suggest something that is." 

Slippy stared at the ground. "I haven't thought of a solution." 

"I thought as much," Sierra said. "Don't criticize our ideas until you have one of your own." 

Slippy left the cockpit. 

*~ 

"The frog will be of some use to us," Irae hissed, watching Slippy escape to another section of the ship. 

"Alive?" Argos asked, and Irae nodded. "Then how?" 

"Metramorpha, your skills will again be needed," Irae said. "Copy the form of the body I control and convince the frog that he is correct." 

- And how am I to access his memories with only an echo of his body? - Metramorpha asked softly. 

"Through the blue vixen's memories, which you still have a copy of," Irae said. "Do not toy with me, daughter. I know the extent of your abilities." 

Metramorpha stretched her shape, taking on Fox's looks, right down to the clothing texture. Her eyes flashed between a black void and stuffing green as she tapped Fox's memory through his connection to Krystal. Finally, they settled on green, and the voice was Fox's. 

"Done," she said. "Shall I begin?" 

With a nod from Irae, she slipped out the door. 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Star Fox. But someday... Someday!*evil laughter* Non Nintendo characters are mine, email me if you wish to use them. 

*~ 

As Metramorpha headed in the direction the frog had gone, she sifted through Fox's memories. He had a lonely and painful childhood, much like her own. She felt pity for him. She had never felt pity for anyone before. She pushed her feelings aside. She had to comply with her father's wishes, no matter what her feelings were, and she had no say in her father's wishes. 

Metramorpha considered how to best play on the frog's ideas. He was very skeptical of anything he thought to be supernatural. This would surely work to her advantage. His ego seemed bruised as well. That would be how she got to him. 

"Fox!" the frog's voice broke into her thoughts. 

Metramorpha searched Fox's memory for the frog's name. "Hey, Slippy." 

"Are you okay? I mean, you were acting weird earlier and-" 

Metramorpha forced a smile. "I'm okay now. I'm not sure what happened while I was in the portal, though. I blacked out. Next I knew, I was standing outside of the portal." 

"Sierra said your brain waves changed," Slippy said. 

Metramorpha feigned confusion, making a note to tell Irae that this Sierra was catching on. "And that means...?" 

"That you're 'possessed'," Slippy hooked his fingers in quotation marks as he spoke the last word. 

"I take it you disagree?" she asked. 

"Right," Slippy said. "Everyone else thinks so, though." 

She smiled once again. "I don't think I'm possessed. Or maybe I am and don't realize it. Or maybe they're possessed!" 

Slippy laughed. "So you agree with me?" 

She nodded. "Unless I don't realize it, I'm fine." 

"Can you tell them that?" Slippy asked. 

"They'll think I'm tricking you," she said. A dangerous statement, but necessary. 

"You're probably right," Slippy said, oblivious to the truth of the statement. "I'm gonna work in my lab. Try to talk some sense into them, okay? 

"Sure, Slip," she said, slipping back into Fox's quarters as soon as the frog was out of sight. 

"He believes me," Metramorpha said, returning to her true form and adding softly, - The fox has an interesting background. - 

"Do not look too much into his memories," Irae advised. 

- I looked no more than I needed to properly portray him, - Metramorpha said. - And he is pained. His life was no easy. - 

"You will need to bring the frog..." Irae began. 

- Slippy, - Metramorpha said. 

"What?" Irae growled. 

- That is the frog's name, - Metramorpha said meekly. - I did not mean to interrupt, Father. Fox's memories are very strong, and... - 

"It would do well for you to refrain from speaking the names of these creatures," Irae said. "No not grow attached, daughter." 

Metramorpha dipped in a bow. -Why and I bringing Sli- the frog- here? - 

"Argos is to possess him," Irae said. "A semi-possession, for without the soul intact, Argos cannot accurately represent the frog." 

Metramorpha returned to Fox's form. It was simpler the second time. 

"The female frog -Sierra- she knows, Irae King," Metramorpha said on her way out. 

"I will deal with her," Irae said. "be swift." 

Metramorpha was anything but swift. Her mind wandered through Fox's memories, and she found herself in the hangar. Running a paw along Fox's Arwing, she wondered what it would be like to fly it. She had never flown one before, or even seen one, but many of Fox's happiest memories involved flying. 

- Metramorpha, what are you doing? - Lucah hissed, landing on Metramorpha's shoulder. 

"What are _you_ doing, Lucah?" Metramorpha snapped. 

- The frog is in his laboratory and the door is locked, - Lucah said. - You cannot get to him at the moment. Return to the fox's quarters. - 

Lucah left. Metramorpha stood by the Arwing. 

"Their names," she whispered to no one, "are Slippy and Fox. 

*~ 

- Metramorpha is too preoccupied with the fox's memories to help, - Lucah said, perched on a shelf. -You could call Mother... - 

"Metramorpha takes after her mother in more than just abilities," Irae said. "She left for a mortal life long ago. Your mother is dead." 

"We are not immortal, Irae King," Metramorpha said, entering slowly, still in Fox's form. "Or are you letting your ego run away with you?" 

"It was long before her time," Irae said. "She left for the love of a mortal." 

"She never loved you," Metramorpha said. "And you never loved her. Why do you care?" 

"You have been cursed with strong emotions, daughter," Irae said. "I cannot feel love. Your mother had the same curse, and she abandoned her duties because of it." 

Metramorpha returned to her form, slowly growing smaller until she disappeared completely. Irae turned to Argos. 

"She will not remain loyal much longer," Irae said. "We must act now." 

*~ 

Fox and Krystal, now dressed in silk robes, were cuddled up together, unsure of what to do. Krystal nestled into Fox's neck, and Fox smiled. 

A point of violet light appeared close to Fox, who tensed up. The light turned into a vixen he had never seen before. 

"Who are you?" Fox asked, nudging Krystal, who looked up. 

"I am called..." the vixen paused. "My name is Metramorpha. I... Want to apologize... On behalf of my father." 

"Not as formal as usual," Judex quipped, "but you still could loosen up a bit." 

"Who's your father?" Fox asked. 

"Irae," Metramorpha said softly. "Fox, I am truly sorry." 

"She is sincere," Judex said. "She is most like her mother, blessed with emotions similar to that of your own." 

Metramorpha smiled bitterly. "My father only moments ago called it a curse. 

"Irae..." Fox muttered angrily. "He got me into this mess." 

"He is bitter because Mother abandoned him for your universe," Metramorpha said. "He can feel that, unfortunately." She looked to Judex. "Why is Mireya not here?" 

Judex's eyes fell. Metramorpha waited silently. 

"She has been wounded," he said finally. "By your brother. She cannot come without great pain." 

"I will deal with him," Metramorpha said solemnly, beginning to fade. 

"You will do no such thing," Judex said, catching Metramorpha's paw. "You're so close to getting away from your father, so close to..." 

Metramorpha smiled as Judex blushed. "So close to being with you," she whispered. 

"Metramorpha will help us, I assume?" a vixen in fur of a soft blue, similar to Krystal, said. 

"Mireya," Krystal whispered, wide-eyed. 

"Even injured, I shall protect you," Mireya said, smiling warmly before looking Fox over. "Even with Judex as your Guardian Star... You will make a fine mate for Krystal." 

The pair blushed. Metramorpha giggled, then looked startled. 

"I can't think of the word..." she looked to Judex. 

"Laughed," Judex said, hugging her. "You laughed. You haven't done that since your mother left." 

"Emotions were not encouraged during my childhood," Metramorpha said ruefully. "And yes, Mireya, I will help." 

*~ 

"All satellites are down," Rob announced tonelessly. 

The team exchanged glances. Falco stood up. 

"We have to do _something_," he said. "We need to help Fox and correct the satellite malfunctions. And I think they're connected, so we need to go talk to Fox." 

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Peppy grinned. "You taking leadership lessons from Fox or something?" 

"Ha ha," Falco said dryly. "Now let's go." 

*~ 

Keep the noise to a minimum," Irae said. "If you do not catch him completely by surprise, he will not stop screaming until you take control of his mind." 

Argos nodded, then walked down the hall toward the laboratory. His manner was confident, even though he had never done anything like this before. 

_But that's what makes him to good for this task,_ Metramorpha thought, hovering above the door. _He doesn't have the skill to pull off a full possession, so there's no worry of destroying the soul._

Despite this, Metramorpha knew she had to make sure that Slippy didn't know what almost happened to him. But she would need patience. So she waited and watched, keeping her patience and waiting for Argos to lose his. 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Star Fox. But someday... Someday!*evil laughter* Non Nintendo characters are mine, email me if you wish to use them. 

*~ 

Falco knocked on Fox's door, but got no answer. Hew knocked louder. Still nothing. 

"Maybe he fell asleep?" Sierra suggested. 

Peppy shook his head. "He's a light sleeper. Always has been." 

"Fox!" Falco yelled. 

There was a scuffling inside, but no other noise. 

"He's not gonna come out," Peppy said. 

"I could try to force it open," Falco said. 

"That doesn't work on a dilating door," Sierra said. 

Falco sighed, then sat down in front of the door. "I'm not moving until you come out, Fox!" 

*~ 

Irae sighed. "He's a stubborn one." 

- Should we do something, then? - Lucah asked. 

"Perhaps I should call the triplets," Irae muttered; keeping his voice down, for he was speaking. 

- Y-you do not heed to take such drastic measures, Father, - Lucah stammered. - I shall deal with the falcon and the female frog. - 

"How do you plan to do that, clever Lucah?" Irae asked; Lucah was quick-witted and creative in her planning. 

- Simple is best, Father, - Lucah said, a glint in her eye. - I will shoe them death. - 

"Do not kill them, Lucah," Irae said. "Bring them here when you are finished. They will draw the others." 

- Of course, Father, - Lucah slipped out through the air vents. 

*~ 

Lucah watched silently as the avian sat in front of the fox's door, Lucah contemplating how strong her death visions should be. She had given the fox such visions to aid Metramorpha, but now her older sister was not here, and Lucah would have to do this herself. No matter. She preferred to work alone, and whatever she could do to prevent Irae from calling the triplets was worth doing. Second only to Metramorpha in age, they were most like their father. Even Lucah and Argos had some emotions, but the triplets had even less than Irae; they were ruthless. 

The falcon was alone, now; the hare and frog had left. Lucah now knew all she would have to do was show herself to the falcon; Lucah was well-known in avian lore, having the form of an untamed avian. Thus, with a ruffling of feathers, she landed on the falcon's knee. 

His eyes widened. Lucah watched him silently as he stared, expressing was Lucah could only assume was shock. Either that or he had more courage than Lucah had previously given him credit for. She looked him in the eye. 

- Are you afraid? - she hissed. 

The falcon swiped at Lucah, and, smiling inwardly, she nipped him lightly. The falcon was hers now, not under her control yet but certainly well under her influence. Falco backed toward the door. Lucah pressed a series of buttons on the keypad beside the door with her beak, and Falco fell backwards as the door opened. It closed behind him. Lucah took flight, looking for the female frog. 

*~ 

Mireya lifted a paw, wincing slightly, and tapped the air in front of her, producing a mirror. 

"You shouldn't strain yourself," Judex said, glancing over from where he was standing. 

"And you shouldn't worry so about Metramorpha," Mireya said, smiling. "She can take care of herself. She has for quite some time." 

"She shouldn't have to," Judex said, turning to Fox. "She's not much older than you, really. And her father makes her do so much..." 

Mireya smiled softly, then took the mirror in her paws. "As soon as Metramorpha returns, she will take you to the Memoria Fields." 

"I shall go with her," Judex said. "The Fields are deep within Irae's realm." 

"You act as if she had never been there before," Mireya said. "Still, I know I cannot change your mind." 

*~ 

"If he ever comes out, Father will have completed his task!" Argos growled. "There has to be a faster way!" 

Metramorpha smiled to herself. Argos' patience was nearly spent. She sank into the door. He would touch the door. she knew he would. She knew her brother well. 

"Maybe I should speed the frog along," Argos said, reaching for the door. 

Metramorpha engulfed him. She could feel him struggling, and quickly absorbed some of his life essence. He fell limp, to be unconscious for an hour. She left him in front of the door, and then sealed the lab door. 

Metramorpha retreated to a deep part of Fox's mind, where Fox still had control. Judex saw her immediately, smiling and drawing her close. Metramorpha knew she was blushing, and buried her face in Judex's fur. 

"If you would pull yourselves apart...?" Mireya said gently, a smile touching her lips. 

Judex blushed and Metramorpha looked to Mireya. "You have something you wish for me to do?" 

"You are to take Fox to the Memoria Fields," Mireya said. :Judex shall accompany you." 

"What about me?" Krystal asked. 

"You must remain here," Mireya said. "Fox cannot return to his mind without a link, and that is you." 

Krystal nodded softly, squeezing Fox's paw. "Come back, Fox." 

Fox kissed her gently. "Of course." 

*~ 

They walked for a long time, through silent, empty gray fields, the harsh sun beating down on them. Metramorpha was silent, and Fox wasn't sure what to say, so there was no conversation. A flash of color caught Fox's eye. A small gold flower seemed out of place amidst the gray ground. Metramorpha glanced at it. 

"Gold Memoria," she said, a smile touching her lips. "There are many in the Memoria fields. Silver Memoria as well. I watch over the field while its true owner sleeps." 

"Why don't you wake him up?" Fox asked. 

Metramorpha laughed. "He reincarnated himself. This is his thirteenth reincarnation. I am watching them until his mortal form dies." 

"What's he like?" Fox asked. 

"I do not know," Metramorpha said. "He put himself forth for his thirteenth reincarnation when I was very young." 

"He is very nice," Judex said. "A noble spirit, and my brother. I have sponsored his reincarnations. This is his last." 

"Who is it?" Fox asked. 

"I cannot say," Judex said. "It would change the current balance of the universe." 

"We have arrived," Metramorpha said, standing in front of a cliff and placing her paw on a boulder. 

The boulder rolled aside, revealing a cave. They walked in. Thousands of Gold Memoria flowers grew from the ground, and silver flowers that Fox assumed were Silver Memoria hung from the ceiling. Wide-eyed, Fox stepped forward. 

"Krystal would love this place," he whispered. 

Judex smiled softly, leaning down at the shore of a clear pool. Silver water from the Silver Memoria dripped into the pool. 

"The Silver Memoria nectar holds the memories of the past," Judex said, touching the pool. "If you look into the pool, it will show you your past." 

Fox stepped toward the pool, but Metramorpha shook her head. "We are here for you to look into your Self, and that required Gold Memoria nectar." 

She led Fox to the center of the Field. A golden pool, no larger than Fox, glittered in the dim light. Fox leaned forward. 

"You will fall in that way," Metramorpha warned. "Sit down." 

Fox did so, leaning over far enough to see his reflection. He watched it for awhile, and then it and everything else slowly faded away. 

Fox was cold. Alone. He knew that much. He was very alone. Lights began shining in the distance, blinking only a moment before they blinked out. 

"Do not be afraid," a voice whispered, and Fox identified it as Krystal's. 

Fox felt warmth as a soft blue light settled around him. 

"Your greatest strength is your strong spirit," Krystal whispered. "It can never be destroyed. Remember that." 

Fox came back to reality. Metramorpha looked down at him solemnly. 

"Tell no one what you saw," Metramorpha said. "Not unless you trust them with your very soul. Now we must leave." 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Star Fox. But someday... Someday!*evil laughter* Non Nintendo characters are mine, email me if you wish to use them. 

*~ 

Mireya sat silently, staring into the mirror but not really seeing. The mirror showed only her sadness and pain, and she wished not to see them, but the mirror would not show her anything else, for there was nothing more to see. 

She had faithfully helped Judex in every endeavor, wanting to win his love, for she had loved since she had the ability to feel such emotions. But his heart never belonged to her. Metramorpha had taken it, and Mireya could do nothing about it. Still, her love never waned, so she would continue to aid him until her love ran out. 

"Mireya," Krystal said softly, "what do you see in the mirror that makes you so sad?" 

With a soft smile, Mireya handed the young vixen the mirror. "Tell me what you see." 

*~ 

Krystal looked into the mirror, at first seeing only her reflection staring back at her. But deep in her eyes was a story to tell, and the mirror told her of her love for Fox, how deep it was. She smiled. 

"I saw... My love for Fox," Krystal said softly. 

"That is your greatest weapon," Mireya said. "And also your greatest weakness." 

Krystal was puzzled, but she pushed her thoughts from her mind as she felt Fox re-enter. The vulpine smiles, and Krystal's heart fluttered. She smiled warmly as she handed the mirror back to Mireya. 

"Why did she take you to the Memoria Fields?" Krystal asked. 

Fox glanced to Mireya and Metramorpha. "I'll tell you later," he whispered, taking her paw. 

There was silence, during which many things passed between the minds of Fox and Krystal. Their bond was tight, and much was said with silence. Fox rested his head on Krystal's shoulder, his eyes half shut, looking completely exhausted. Krystal stroked Fox's fur softly. 

Judex was speaking with Mireya, talking of Irae, but he kept glancing at Metramorpha, who was sitting quietly apart from everyone. She seemed frightened. Judex finally extended a paw to her, and she took it, standing up and allowing Judex to draw her close. 

"Irae knows," she whispered, fear overcoming her as she buried her face in Judex's chest. "He will kill us if we do not act now." 

Judex held Metramorpha protectively, trying to comfort her. He looked to Fox. 

"Are you ready?" he asked. 

"Yes," Fox said. 

*~ 

Falco awoke from his trance bound to Fox's bedpost. He saw Fox staring him down, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach finally betrayed a dark soul in Fox's body. 

"Who... What are you?" Falco snarled, eyes narrow. 

"I am Irae," Fox's voice said, his eyes on a bite mark on Falco's wing tip. "Lucah marked you." 

"Is that her name?" Falco muttered. "I thought she was Deathspeaker." 

- I go by that title, - Lucah said, flying in, a seemingly unconscious Sierra following numbly. - And you, falcon, whom do you allege yourself to? - 

Falco blinked, then winced as his wound stung. "Fox, I suppose." His wound flared up. "Ahh! Shit, this hurts." 

"His mind is stubborn," Irae remarked in a voice unlike Fox's. 

- I shall break him, - Lucah landed on Falco's shoulder. - You belong to me, falcon. - 

"My name is Falco, "Falco snapped. "And nobody owns me." 

- That is what you think, - Lucah said, amusement in her tone as she nuzzled him, Falco trying to squirm away. - You are quite the stubborn one... Falco. - 

Falco felt a calm spread over him. Lucah nestled into Falco's neck, cooing softly, telling him stories. Falco relaxed, a shudder passing through him as Lucah seized his mind and, to some degree, his heart. Lucah cooed again, and Falco didn't react. 

- He's coming along, - Lucah remarked. 

"Will you take him as your mate?" Irae asked. 

- Perhaps, - Lucah said. 

"What?" Falco yelped, struggling again. 

Lucah looked to Falco. -You do not like this idea? - 

"Katt..." Falco whispered. 

- Katt? -Lucah looked as surprised as a dove could look. - A Felin girl? - 

"Yes," Falco growled. "My Katt. She's beautiful and smart and at least as stubborn as me. She loves me and never stopped loving me, even when I pushed her away. And I love her." 

- I am speaking only to you, -Lucah said to Falco. - This... Love... My sister has spoken of it. I do not understand. Show me what love it. Show me a memory. - 

Falco did as requested. 

*~ 

"Baby, what's wrong?" Katt asked, sitting beside Falco on his bed. 

"Nothing," Falco said flatly, turning away from her. 

Katt wrapped her paws around his neck, resting her head on his back. There was silence for awhile. Falco shuddered, holding back his emotions. Katt slipped into his lap, nestling into Falco's feathers. 

"Stop beating yourself up," she whispered. "You're not made of stone, Falco Lombardi. Go on. Let go of your emotions." 

Falco held her them, burying his face in Katt's fur. He cried. And Katt said nothing, letting him release bottled up emotions. Her love was unconditional, and Falco realized it best them. 

*~ 

- Love... - Lucah whispered, awed. - I have felt something similar... With Mother... It was a little different... But it is similar. - 

Lucah nestled into Falco again, needing comfort. Falco looked to Irae. He wasn't moving. Standing still, eyes closed, Irae seemed to be emitting energy. His eyes shot open. 

"Fox makes his move," Irae hissed. "We must act now. Lucah, guard them." 

- Yes, Father, - Lucah said. - What will you do? - 

"Call the triplets," Irae said, and he began speaking in a language Falco didn't know. 

- The triplets, - Lucah echoed, nestling deeper into Falco. - Not them. - 

Three dark orbs appeared in the room, circling Irae, bobbing every time they completed a revolution. 

"Metreusa, caller of the Dead," Irae said, and one orb left the circle. "Timea, prophesier of Death, Morié, Death itself." 

The triplets appeared. All were vixens, and the appearance of one was the same as the other two. Their gaping black holes that served as eyes focused on Irae. 

"What dost thou desire?" they asked in unison, calm and sinister at the same time. 

"This land is righted mine, children three," Irae said. "I desire this dimension." 

"So it shall be done," they said, and laughed. "So it shall be done." 


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer:**I don't own Star Fox. But someday... Someday!*evil laughter* Non Nintendo characters are mine, email me if you wish to use them. 

*~ 

Judex and Mireya led Fox and Krystal toward a gray door. Judex turned to Fox. 

"Through this door lies the passages to your Self," he said grimly. "You will have to pass four tests of Self, and then you can confront Irae. Krystal will accompany you, but she must not stray too far from you, or she will be dead forever. Do you understand?" 

Fox nodded slowly. Krystal drew her staff, its connection to her strong even in death. 

"I will try to control my father," Metramorpha said. "He will be watching for you, Fox." 

Judex glanced at Mireya. "We shall keep the gate open. Irae may attempt to destroy your Self. We must prevent him from doing so. Good luck." 

Fox nodded again, and he and Krystal stepped through the door. 

*~ 

Lucah was alone with the prisoners. A confused Sierra was just regaining consciousness, and Falco sat sullenly on the bed, still bound but not as tightly as before. Lucah was troubled. Falco watched her preen absently, lost in thought. Finally, she landed on Falco's shoulder. Falco, still under Lucah's control, relaxed and looked over at her, though rebellion shone in his eyes. Lucah sighed. 

- Show me more, - she whispered, cooing and nuzzling him again. - Show me more emotions. Show me a different kind of love... Friendship. Show me that. - 

*~ 

"Dude, Fox, what are you doing?" Falco asked, walking into the rec room to see Fox sitting on the diving board of the empty pool. 

"Nothing," came Fox's small and distant reply. 

"Fox, get down before you hurt yourself!" Falco yelled. 

"It's not worth it," Fox said softly. 

"What's not worth it?" Falco asked, realization slowly dawning on him. 

"Everything," Fox whispered, and he plunged from the diving board. 

Falco was already running. Taking a flying leap into the empty pool, he landed hard, and Fox on top of him. Falco fell flat, but Fox was safe. 

*~ 

- Why would he wish to die? - Lucah asked softly. 

"He's got problems," Falco said. "He doesn't have any family... Besides us, I guess." 

- "Us?" - 

"His team. Me, Peppy, Slippy, and Sierra. Krystal, too, I guess." 

- In what way do you mean family? You are not related. - 

"Well..." Falco tried to find words for something he'd never thought about before. "We care about him. Fox... He's like my little brother. I watch out for him." 

- I see... - Lucah paused, then released Falco. - Help him, then. If he wishes to get his body back, he will need it. - 

*~ 

Metramorpha saw Lucah release Falco. She smiled to herself, having just gained an ally. She took the form of a young vixen. Lucah looked over, and Metramorpha began tending to Sierra, who was still recovering from her mind being taken over by Lucah. She awoke fully. 

"Who are you?" Sierra asked. 

"Metramorpha," Metramorpha said. 

"How'd you get onboard?" Sierra asked, sitting up. 

- That is not important, - Lucah said, revealing herself to Sierra. - Fox is in danger. You all are. His body is possessed, and he is trying to regain control. 

Sierra jumped to her feet, nearly slipping on the metal floor. Metramorpha got to her feet as well, looking around the room. 

"Where is he?" she asked, looking to Lucah. 

- Father? - Lucah jerked her head over at Metramorpha. - I do not know. He left with the triplets. - 

"The triplets?" Metramorpha gasped. "He is mad. He himself has little control over them." 

"Who are the triplets?" Sierra asked. 

"Our sisters," Metramorpha explained. "They're very powerful, and they feel nothing." 

- They are very analytical, - Lucah agreed. - And much more powerful than I. I do not know about Metramorpha's power, and I doubt Argos could overpower them. - 

"I am not sure if I can," Metramorpha said. "But I must try." 

*~ 

As soon as Fox and Krystal entered the room, the door slammed shut behind them. Fox saw only darkness. He squeezed Krystal's par, and Krystal returned the affection. A red light appeared behind them. Fox glanced back but couldn't see the source of the light. Krystal suddenly threw herself at Fox. 

"Krystal, what are you--Mmph!" Fox was cut off mid-sentence when she kissed him. 

Fox was startled, and she pushed him roughly against the wall. Fox was hit with a wave of passion, and he returned the kisses, pressing his mouth hard against her, their kiss rougher and more instinctual than ever before. 

Fox's civilized mind protested loudly, and Fox pushed Krystal away, shivering and panting. 

"What are you doing?" Fox asked. 

"I... I don't know," Krystal said, shivering as well. "I just needed to kiss you. Why did you return it so hard?" 

"I dunno," Fox said. "Did I hurt you?" 

"No, I... I liked it," Krystal breathed, her eyes wild. "Do it again!" 

"Krystal..." he trailed off, staring at Krystal, his instincts wanting to fulfill Krystal's request. 

He realized this was his instinctual Self, and it was affecting Krystal and himself. He couldn't fight it when Krystal was asking him to give in. He kissed her hard, digging his claws into her back. She squealed and giggled. Fox, using all the willpower he had left, pulled away once more, panting. 

"You have to fight your instincts," Fox said, gritting his teeth. "I can't if you can't." 

Krystal's eyes softened as her conscious mind resurfaced. "I'm sorry... It's so hard to fight it." 

Fox looked over at the far wall and saw a door opposite the one they had entered. He pointed. 

"If we get through that door, we'll be okay," Fox said, fighting the urge to continue what he had started. "C'mon." 

The farther they traveled, the more Fox's instincts howled at him. He couldn't look at Krystal for fear of losing control. He was holding her paw, and the feeling alone was enough to make him shiver. 

"Hurry," Krystal's voice came out rough, and Fox knew she was using all her strength to resist. Fox looked up at the door and was shocked to see it covered with blood. He touched the old-fashioned doorknob, and his instincts went wild. Closing his eyes, he pulled open the door and walked through. 

His instincts relaxed their grip, and he hugged Krystal close as they laughed, relieved. Then Fox looked around, wondering where they were now. Suddenly, Krystal started crying. 

"What's wrong?" Fox asked, reaching out to hold her. 

As soon as he touched her, everything went black. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Star Fox. Every day, though, I create more of my master plan of Nintendo takeover... All non-Nintendo characters are mine. Please refrain from trying to enter your own Self, because you don't know how to get into your own head without the help of Judex. Nyah. I'll loan him out for a fortune cookie, though. 

*~ 

Fox awoke in a field, cradling a crying Krystal in his arms. He looked around and saw a fox kit running, frightened, through the field. The kit was headed towards them, and Fox was about to say something when the kit ran right through them. Fox's eyes widened. 

"Krystal..." Fox said softly. "Where are we?" 

Krystal looked up. "Cerinia," she whispered. 

"Cerinia?" Fox echoed, standing up. "But I thought it was destroyed?" 

"It was," Krystal said darkly, standing up as well. "And this is that day." 

Fox blinked at Krystal. How could they be on Cerinia the day the planet was destroyed if it had already been destroyed? And how could he be seeing this? He didn't even know Cerinia existed outside of ancient history books until Krystal told him about it. 

"Krystal, were you there the day Cerinia was destroyed?" Fox asked. 

"Yes..." Krystal whispered, clutching Fox. 

"Then this is your memory of it," Fox said softly, holding her close. "Where are you?" 

Krystal looked around and pointed to a far-off kit, no older than ten, standing by an adult vixen, her fur a deep blue. 

"You must run, Krystal," the vixen said, every word of it in Dinosaur, yet Fox understood it. "Go to your father." 

"Momma, why can't you go with me?" the smaller Krystal whimpered, looking up at her mother. 

"I must help the others," Krystal's mother said, kissing her daughter on the forehead and slipping off her necklace. "Here, take this. You can give it back to me when I come back, okay?" 

"O-okay," little Krystal sniffled, and Fox's Krystal touched the necklace she was wearing lightly. 

Fox saw a door on the opposite end of the field. Vulpines were running right through it, just as the kit had run through Fox. He motioned towards the door. 

"That's the exit," he said. "At least, the exit from this memory. C'mon, Krystal." 

He led Krystal to the door, trying to shield her from her own memory. He was halfway across the field when he heard a scream. 

"Mother!" little Krystal shrieked, staring back at her mother, horrified. 

Fox followed her gaze and gasped. Irae hovered in front of Krystal's mother, his laugh echoing through the air. Krystal's mother glared, and Fox could see her preparing her magic. 

- Fool, - Irae said. - Your magic is of no use against me. - 

As Krystal's mother stared Irae down, little Krystal had disappeared into an escape pod. Fox could see the kit's horror as she was blasted into space. The memory began to fade, for Krystal remembered nothing more. 

"My mother..." Krystal whispered, sobbing and falling to her knees. "She was killed... And my father... And everybody..." 

"Oh, Krystal..." Fox whispered, rocking her; they were now in darkness. "C'mon, let's get out of here." 

Fox helped Krystal to her feet and looked to the door. It had moved farther away. Fox blinked; he was beginning to hear something. 

"Fox?" Keystal said softly. "Fox, what's wrong?" 

"Don't you hear something?" Fox said, blinking at her. 

Krystal shook her head. Fox shook his head to clear it and continued towards the door. 

"Dad, do you have to leave?" Fox heard a younger version of himself groan, and Fox stopped dead. 

"Yes, Fox," James said, his voice patient, as it had always been. "You know work has been scarce." 

"But we were supposed to go to the amusement park!" teenage Fox grumbled. "You promised!" 

"I'll take you once I get back, Son," James said, and Fox saw him ruffle the younger Fox's fur. 

"Okay," the younger Fox sighed. "Hurry up, okay?" 

Okay," James laughed, and disappeared into his Arwing. 

Fox shuddered. That had been the last time he had seen his father alive. The younger Fox didn't know that, though. He fully expected his father to return in no more than a week. Fox headed for the door. The last thing he wanted was to relive hearing of his father's death. Not that he had been told much about it. 

As Fox walked, the memory seemed to speed up, racing him to get to the dreaded end of this particular string of events. Krystal held his paw reassuringly, and Fox was glad that at least she was there to comfort him. Still, Fox wanted desperately to get to that door. 

Fox glanced to the side and saw his younger form sitting in a chair in General Pepper's office, kicking his legs, bored. He had no idea anything could ever happen to his beloved father. Pepper cleared his throat nervously. 

"You see..." Pepper began, glancing at the young Fox once but mostly focusing on the paper on his desk. "Well, you know your father was sent on a mission to Venom, correct?" 

"Yeah," young Fox said, nodding. "To investigate some weird signals or something like that." 

"Yes, well..." Pepper trailed off, coughing. "You understand that the mission has run longer than expected?" 

Young Fox nodded slowly, a confused look on his face. Krystal jerked the older Fox's paw lightly, and he then realized he had stopped. he focused on the door and kept walking; his legs wouldn't allow him to run. 

"You see, Fox..." Pepper continued to stare at the paper. "There was a problem. Pigma Dengar... He was a traitor." 

"A traitor?" young Fox echoed, his eyes widening slightly. The door grew ever closer. 

"Yes," Pepper said. "He was bribed by the Venomian army and turned on your father. Well, actually, he went for Peppy..." 

"Did something happen to Peppy?" young Fox asked, his ears drooping a bit. 

"No, Peppy got back safely..." Pepper said. "But you see, he wouldn't have had your father not interfered with the fight and ordered Peppy to leave. You see, he..." 

There was a long silence. Fox realized the door was beginning to grow dim. Fox ran for it, afraid it would disappear completely and that he would hear the rest, still clutching Krystal's paw. Fox placed a hand on the doorknob. 

"He... My dad... He's dead, isn't he?" young Fox said numbly, and older Fox's paw froze on the knob. 

"Fox, turn the knob," Krystal said gently. 

Fox did so, and the memory ended. But it had not ended nearly soon enough. Fox slid to the ground, leaning against the wall. Krystal sat beside him, laying her head on his shoulder. They said nothing for awhile, and then Fox examined the room around him. There were three doors: one was black, one red, and one white. Fox looked to each in turn. 

"Now where are we?" Krystal wondered aloud. 


End file.
